Hat brim stretching mechanism



July 11, 1939. MUL E 2,165,717

HAT BRIM STRETCHING MECHANISM Filed April 8, 1938 4 Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

R. G. MULLER HAT BRIM STRETCHING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 gal/172% 45/ 7222 Filed April 8, 1958 July 11, 1939.

INVENTOR; K la/Z0719 If v]! 61,

ATTORNEY.

July 11,1939. R. G. MULLER 2,165,717

I BAT BRIM STRETCHING MECHANISM Filed April 8, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 11, 1939. R. G. MULLER HAT BRIM STRETCHING MECHANISM '4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 8, 1938 1 NVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

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Patented July 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAT BRIM STRETCHING MECHANISM Rudolph G. Muller, Irvington, N. J.

Application April 8, 1938, Serial No. 200,866

13 Claims. (01. 223-15) This invention relates to improvements in hat making machinery, and the invention has reference, more particularly, to improvements in that type of hat body stretching mechanism known to the industry as brim stretchers.

In brim stretching machines as heretofore constructed, the mechanism for oscillating or vibrating the stretcher members has generally been located. overhead, 1. e. above the hat bat or body supporting means. Such overhead arrangement of the means for operating the stretcher members not only adds considerably to the complication thereof, especially with respect to means for moving the same into and out of service position, but also involves risk of the dropping of dirt, oil or other foreign matter therefrom onto the hat bat undergoing treatment.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel construction of brim stretching mechanism wherein the stretcher members and the means for adjusting and actuating the same are substantially located below the level of the hat bat or body supporting means in such manner as to render the latter more easily accessible for deposit and removal of the work, while at the same time eliminating risk of soiling the work through the dropping of dirt, oil or other foreign matter thereon.

The invention has for another object to provide a novel hat brim stretching apparatus having novel means for adjusting the work supporting means, and novel means for adjusting and actuating the stretcher members per se, including means for regulating at will the effective amplitude of operative oscillation of said stretcher members.

The invention has for a further object to generally improve and simplify the means by which the operator controls and directs the functioning of the brim stretcher mechanism during operation thereof.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the hat brim stretching machine according to this invention, with the stretcher members retracted to out of service position; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the machine, taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section through the machine, taken on line 3--3 in Fig. 2; and

through the bore iii of said standard or column I2 is a vertically adjustable carrier rod 14, upon the upper exteriorly projecting end of which is a suitably shaped hat bat supporting block 15.

Affixed to the upper end portion of said standard or column I2 is a fixed hub plate l6. Slidably mounted on said standard or column l2, below said fixed hub plate IE is a movable hub plate ll. Pivotally connected with the periphery of said fixed hub plate I6 are a plurality of circumferentially spaced dependent radially extendible brim spreader members I8. Pivotally interconnected between said brim spreader members l8 and the marginal portions of said movable hub plate I! are links I9.

Supported from said bed-plate 10 by upstanding posts 20 is a stationary frame ring 2|, which is disposed concentric to but somewhat below the hat bat supporting block l5 and its brim spreader members I8. Afiixed to said frame ring 2|, in

circumferentially spaced relation about the same, 9

are fulcrum bearings 22. Pivotally supported by said fulcrum bearings 22 are carrier brackets 23. These carrier brackets are each formed to provide an outwardly off set, upwardly extending bifurcated or forked carrier member 24, and an inwardly off set, downwardly extending tail member 25. Slidably mounted on said standard or column [2, below said movable hub plate I! is a second movable hub plate 26. Pivotally interconnected between the marginal portions of said second movable hub plate 26 and the lower free end portions of said respective tail members 25 are links 21. Pivotally connected with the upper end portions of said carrier members 24 are dependent brim stretcher members 28. Said brim stretcher members are provided with outwardly projecting actuator arms 29. The free end portions of said actuator arms 29 are preferably interconnected with the free end portions of corresponding brim stretcher members 28 by integral bracing mem- 'l-j means.

bers 30, thus providing a rigid osc'illatable structure.

Disposed exteriorly of and concentric to said frame ring 2| is a vertically reciprocable actuator ring 3|. Pivotally interconnected between said actuator ring 3| and the free end portions of said brim stretcher member actuator arms 29 are links 32.

As shown more especially by Fig. 1 the relative relation of said brim stretcher members 28 and said brim spreader members I8 is such that the former are opposed to the latter in alternated or staggered relation, whereby said brim stretcher members 28 operate between pairs of adjacent brim spreader members l8.

The means for inducing vertical reciprocatory movement of said actuator ring 3|, for producing, at proper times, operative oscillation of said brim stretcher members 28 relative to the stationary brim spreader members l8, comprises the following drive mechanism:

Aflixed to and projecting rearwardly from the bed-plate it are transversely spaced bracket members 33 upon which are suitably secured bearing members 34. Journaled in and between said bearing members 34 is a transverse drive shaft 35, which is provided at its respective ends with eccentric crank studs 36 (see Fig. 2). Fixed on said drive shaft is a balance or fly wheel 31. Also fixed on said drive shaft 35 is a belt pulley 38 for driving the same from any suitable source of power. It will be understood, however, that said drive shaft may be driven by any other desired type of power transmission Suitably affixed to said bed-plate If], in upstanding relation thereto, are a pair of laterally spaced bearing pedestals 39; the same being located between the actuator ring 3| and the rearward end of said bed-plate l0. Journaled in and between said bearing pedestals 39 is a transverse fulcrum or rock shaft 40. Fulcrumed by said rock shaft 40 are rocking bars or levers 4|, the forward ends of Which are pivotally connected by trunnions 42 respectively with the sides of said actuator ring 3|. Extending between the rearward ends of said rocking bars or levers 4| is a transverse regulator shaft 43 having eccentric trunnions 44 with which said rearward ends of said rocking bars or levers 4| are pivotally engaged. Interconnected between the eccentric crank studs 36 of said drive shaft 35 and the main portion of said regulator shaft 43 are connecting rods 45. Said regulator shaft 43 is provided with a squared wrench receiving portion 46, or other suitable tool engageable means, for application of a tool thereto for rotatively adjusting said regulator shaft for purposes hereinafter explained. Suitably mounted on the rearwardly extending portions of said rocking bars or levers 4| are weights 41 for counterbalancing said actuator ring 3|. In order to prevent rotative displacement or tipping of said actuator ring 3| from normal horizontal plane, especially when the latter is vertically reciprocated bodily to actuate the brim stretcher members 28, steady bars 48 are affixed to the sides of said actuator ring 3| to depend therefrom. Pivotally interconnected between the lower free ends of said steady bars 48 and anchoring pivots 49, connected with certain bedplate supporting legs II, are check links 50.

Foot treadle actuated mechanism is provided for both bringing the brim spreader members and brim stretcher members into and out of service position, as Well as for controlling the side members 52, above said bearing portions 53,

is a bridge portion 54. Mounted on said bridge portion 54 is a guide bearing member 55 having a pair of inner guide bearings 56, and a pair of outer guide bearings 51. Affixed by their upper ends to said movable hub plate H, to extend downwardly therefrom and slidably through the movable hub plate 26, bed-plate l0, frame member base 5| and through the inner guide bearings 56 and underlying bridge portion 54, are a pair of perpendicular brim spreader control rods 58. Adjustably fixed on said control rods 58 are stop collars 59 the position of which determines the normal initial starting position of said movable hub plate H, and consequently the desired degree of extended projection of the brim spreader members |8 to service position. Afilxed by their upper ends to said second movable hub plate 26, to extend downwardly therefrom and slidably through the bed-plate I6, frame member base 5| and through the outer guide bearings 5'! and underlying bridge portion 54, are a pair of perpendicular brim stretcher control rods 60.

Journaled in and between the bearing portions 53 of said frame member 5| is a pivoting shaft 6| to operatively support a pair of rocker levers 62 having forwardly extending arms 63 and rearwardly extending arms 64. Afiixed to the underside of said bed-plate ID, in suitable locations to depend therefrom in laterally spaced apart relation, are hanger bearings 65. Journaled in and between said hanger bearings 65 is a fulcrum shaft 66 for pivoting the rearward ends of forwardly extending treadle frame bars 61 which straddle the frame member 5| and associated mechanism. The forward end portions of said treadle frame bars 61 extend outwardly beyond the forward end of said bed-plate l0, and attached to and supported by and across said forward end portions of the treadle frame bars 61 is a treadle plate 68. bars 61 are respectively interconnected by links 69 with the forward free ends of the arms 63 of said rocker levers 62. Suitably affixed to the rearwardly extending arms 64 of said rocker levers 62 are weights H! to counterbalance the latter to normal initial position and the treadle means connected therewith to normal initial raised position.

Pivotally mounted on said pivoting shaft 6|,

between the rocker levers 62, is a rearwardly ex- 1-,

tending elevator lever 1|. Afiixed upon the free end portion of said elevator lever 1| is a knuckle member '12 to which is pivotally connected the lower end of thrust link 13, the transverse pivoting pin of which provides laterally and oppositely extending lift studs 14 which respectively overhang the path of upward swinging movement of the rearward arms 64 of said rocker lever 62, so as to be engageable by the latter at proper times. 58 is a yoke member 15 to which the upper end of said thrust link 13 is pivotally connected.

Aifixed respectively to the brim stretcher control rods are coupler members 15. Pivotally interconnected between these coupler members The treadle frame Affixed to the brim spreader control rods 1;

76 and the forwardly extending arms 53 of said rocker levers 62 are links 11.

Means is provided for adjusting and regulating the height of the hat bat supporting block IE, to accommodate the same to given crown height sizes of the hat bats. This means comprises a pivoted footing member T8 with which the lower end of the carrier rod I4 is engaged.

Affixed to and dependent from the bed-plate it is a screw threaded stud 79 which extends downwardly through an opening 88 provided in said footing member 78. Threaded on said stud 19 so as to engage supportingly the underside of said footing member i8 is an adjusting handwheel 8|. By turning said hand-wheel 8| up or down on said stud 19, the footing member 18 may be correspondingly swung up or down to, in turn, lift or lower said carrier rod [4 for raising or lowering said hat bat supporting block l5.

In the use of the machine, after the hat bat supporting block I5 is adjusted to a height adapted to accommodate it to the particular hat bat to be worked upon, said hat bat is pulled down over and upon said supporting block with the brim portions thereof overlying the retracted brim spreader members it. Power being applied to the drive shaft 35, rotation of the crank studs 35 thereof transmits, through the connecting rods 45, vertical oscillatory movement to the rocking bars ll, which, in turn, produces a vertical or up and down bodily movement of the actuator ring 3|. This movement of the actuator ring 3! is. transmitted, through the links 32, to the actuator arms 29 of the brim stretcher members 28, thereby oscillating the same about their pivotal connections with the carrier members 2 3, so as to effect an in and out movement of said stretcher members.

The brim stretcher members being in motion, the operator thereupon applies his foot to the treadle plate 68 to move the same downward, thus swinging down the treadle frame bars 61. The down swinging movement of said treadle frame bars 81 is transmitted through the links 69 to the rocker levers 52, thereby causing a downward swinging movement of their forwardly extending arms 63 and an upward swinging movement of their rearwardly extending arms 64. As the arms 64 rise they engage the lift studs 14 so as to produce an upward movement of the elevator lever Ti and the thrust link l3 connected therewith. The upward movement of the thrust link i3 is transmitted, through the yoke connection 15, to the brim spreader control rods 58, causing the latter to rise and slide upwardly on the column or standard it! the upper movable hubplate IT. The upward movement of the hub plate ii is transmitted through the links iii to the brim spreader members is, which are thereby swung upwardly and outwardly to lift the brim section of the hat bat so as to hold the same subject to operative engagement by the oscillating brim stretcher members 28.

Simultaneously with the movement of the brim spreader members Hi to service positions as de-. scribed, the downward swinging arms 63 of the rocker levers 62 is transmitted, through the links ll, to the brim stretcher control rods 85, causing the latter to descend and slide downwardly on the column or standard it? the lower movable hub plate 255. The downward movement of the hub plate 2- 5 is transmitted through the links 21 to the tail members 25 of the pivoted carrier brackets 23, and is translated into an outward swinging movement of the latter which produces an inward swinging movement of the carrier members 24 of said carrier brackets. This inward movement of said carrier members 24 carries the oscillating brim stretcher members 28 inwardly and into operative engagement with the brim section of the hat bat where spread over and supported by the outswung brim spreader members l8. The oscillating contact of the brim stretcher members stretches the felt between adjacent brim spreader members in a manner familiar to those skilled in the hat making art.

It will be obvious that the operator by varying the downward pressure of his foot on the treadle may increase or decrease the stretching contact pressure exerted by the oscillated brim stretcher members 28, and consequently by his skilled sense of feeling and by his skilled observation of the work can gradually effect the stretching out of the brim sections of the hat bat as desired. Owing to the fact that the actuating and control mechanisms are all substantially below the plane of the hat bat, the observation of the progress of the work is greatly facilitated, while risk of the dropping of oil, dirt or other foreign matter from working parts of the mechanism onto the hat bat,

determining the initial position of the hub-plate ii by vertical adjustment of the latter. This is accomplished by adjusting the stop collars 59 on the control rods 58.

The effective limit of stretching stroke of the stretcher members 28 may be adjustably controlled by rotatively adjusting the regulator shaft 413 which rotates the eccentric trunnions 44 to move the rocking bars 4| independently of the drive shaft crank studs 36, to thereby raise or lower the initial position of the actuator ring 3i thus retracting or advancing the initial positions of the stretcher member 28 relative to the hat bat supporting means.

From the above it will be understood that the mechanism is very flexibly and easily adjustable to establish desired operative selected positions of the hat bat supporting means, as Well as desired initial spaced relation of the stretching means relative to said supporting means.

In operation a very easy control of the operating mechanism is attainable by the operator merely by varying the pressure of the foot upon the treadle means, thus providing a control method which is physically less tiring than hand control; use of the hands being required only for depositing and removing the work from the machine.

As many changes could be made in the above described constructions, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, as defined by the following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim: 1. In a machine of the kind described, a work support including radially extendible brim mounted on said frame ring to support said stretcher members subject to movement into and out of cooperative working relation to said spreader members, a vertically reciprocable actuator ring concentric and adjacent to said frame ring, said actuator ring having means operatively connecting the same with said stretcher members, power operated means for vertically reciprocating said actuator ring, and foot treadle control means for simultaneously moving said spreader and stretcher members into cooperative working relation.

2. In a machine of the kind described as defined in claim, 1, wherein said means for reciprocating the actuator ring comprises, rocking bars by and between the forward ends of which said actuator ring is carried, a drive shaft having crank means, and connecting rods interconnecting said crank means and the rearward ends of said rocking bars.

3. In a machine of the kind described as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for reciprocating the actuator ring comprises, pivoted rocking bars by and between the forward ends of which said actuator ring is carried, a drive shaft having crank means, a rotatively adjustable regulator shaft extending between the rearward ends of said rocking bars and having eccentric pivotal connections with the latter, and connecting rods interconnecting said drive shaft crank means with said regulator shaft.

4. In a machine of the kind described as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for reciprocating the actuator ring comprises, pivoted rocking bars by and between the forward ends of which said actuator ring is carried, counterbalancing weights on the rearward end portions of said rocking bars, a drive shaft having crank means, and connecting rods interconnecting said crank means with the rearward ends of said rocking bars.

5. In a machine of the kind described as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for reciprocating the actuator ring comprises, pivotally mounted rocking bars by and between the forward ends of which said actuator ring is carried, a drive shaft having crank means, connecting rods interconnecting said crank means with the rearward ends of said rocking bars, steady bar means affixed to and dependent from said actuator ring, and pivotally anchored check link means pivotally engaged With said steady bar means.

6. In a machine of the kind described, a supported bed-plate, an upstanding tubular column on said bed-plate, a carrier means extending through said column, a hat bat receiving block supported by the upper end of said carrier means, a fixed hub-plate on the upper end of said column, radially extendible brim spreader members pivotally connected with said fixed hub-plate, a movable hub-plate vertically slidable on said column, links pivotally interconnected between said movable hub-plate and said spreader members, a stationary ring supported from said hub-plate in concentric relation to said column, carrier brackets pivotally mounted on said stationary ring, oscillatable brim stretched members fulcrumed on said carrier brackets and spaced around said block in opposed staggered relation to said spreader members, a second movable hub-plate vertically slidable on said column, links pivotally interconnected between said second movable hub-plate and said carrier brackets, foot treadle control means below said bed-plate, and

control rod means interconnecting the respective movable hub-plates with said foot treadle control means, whereby operation of the latter simultaneously moves said hub-plates to bring said spreader and stretcher members into cooperative working relation.

'7. In a machine of the kind described as defined in claim 6, means for oscillating the stretcher members comprising, a vertically reciprocable actuator ring exteriorly concentric to said stationary ring, links pivotally interconnected between said actuator ring and said stretcher members, and power operated means for reciprocating said actuator ring.

8. In a machine of the kind described as defined in claim 6, means for oscillating the stretcher members comprising, a vertically reciprocable actuator ring exteriorly concentric to said stationary ring, links pivotally interconnected between said actuator ring and said stretcher members, pivotally mounted rocking bars by and between the forward ends of which said actuator ring is carried, a drive shaft having crank means, and connecting rods interconnecting said crank means with the rearward ends of said rocking bars.

9. In a machine of the kind described as defined in claim 6, means for oscillating the stretcher members comprising, a vertically reciprocable actuator ring eXteriorly concentric to said stationary ring, links pivotally interconnected between said actuator ring and said stretcher members, pivotally mounted rocking bars by and between the forward ends of which said actuator ring is carried, a drive shaft having crank means, connecting rods interconnecting said crank means with the rearward ends of said rocking bars, steady bar means afiixed to and dependent from said actuator ring, and pivotally anchored check link means pivotally engaged with said steady bars.

10. In a machine of the kind described, a central upstanding column having a work support associated with its upper end, a fixed hub-plate on said column below said work support, radially extendible brim spreader means pivotally connected with said hub-plate, a movable hub-plate vertically slidable on said column, links pivotally interconnected between said movable hub-plate and said spreader members, oscillatable brim stretcher members spaced around said work support in opposed staggered relation to said spreader members, pivoted carrier brackets by which said stretcher members are supported subject to movement into and out of cooperative working relation to said spreader members, a second movable hub-plate vertically slidable on said column, links pivotally interconnected between said second movable hub-plate and said carrier brackets, foot treadle control means, and means connected between said respective movable hub-plates and said foot treadle control means, whereby operation of the latter simultaneously moves said hub-plates to bring said spreader and stretcher members into cooperative working relation.

11. In a machine of the kind described, a central upstanding column having a work support associated with its upper end, a fixed hub-plate on said column below said work support, radially extendible brim spreader means pivotally connected with said hub-plate, a movable hubplate vertically slidable on said column, links pivotally interconnected between said movable hub-plate and said spreader members, oscillatable brim stretcher members spaced around said work support in opposed staggered relation to said spreader members, pivoted carrier brackets by which said stretcher members are supported subject to movement into and out of cooperative working relation to said spreader members, a second movable hub-plate vertically slidable on said column, links pivotally interconnected between said second movable hub-plate and said carrier brackets, pivoted rocker lever means, a pivoted foot treadle means, means operatively interconnecting said foot treadle means and said rocker lever means, vertically movable control rod means for each movable hub-plate, means actuated by the upswinging portion of said rocker lever means for operating the control rod means of said first mentioned movable hub-plate, and means actuated by the downswinging portion of said rocker lever means for operating said second movable hub-plate, said operations serving to bring said spreader and stretcher members into cooperative working relation.

12. In a machine of the kind described as defined in claim 11, means for oscillating the stretcher members comprising, a vertically reciprocable actuator ring, links pivotally interconnected between said actuator ring and said stretcher members, and power operated means for reciprocating said actuator ring.

13. In a machine of the kind described as defined in claim 11, means for adjustably determining the normal initial position of said first mentioned movable hub-plate thereby to predetermine the limit of operative radial extension of said spreader members.

RUDOLPH G. MULLER. 

